Elevating truck



n. MUNRO.

E'LEVATING TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 21.1921'. 1,431,023, d Patented Oct. 3, 1922.

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lD. MUNRO.

' ELEVATING TRUCK. APPLICATION F1150 1/111.21.1921.

Patented Oct. 3, 1922'.

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D. MUNRO. ELEVATlNG TRUCK. hPPLlcAg'loN min 1MM,... 1921.

Patented Oct. 3, 1922,

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Patented @et 3, 1922.

DONALD MUNRO, OF `BOOTLE,"'NGLAND,

ELEVATING TRUCK.

Application ldsanuary ai, 1921. serial No. 438,900.

To all fior/tom t may concern.'

Be it known that I DONALD MUNRo, a subject of the King of Fngland, residing at 373 Hawthorne Road, Bootle, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in. Elevating Trucks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to trucks, which are used for lifting and transporting loads supported on platforms', the truck being shifted under the platform and then an elevating member forming `a part of the truck raised to lift the load lfrom the platform.

The present invention has for its object to provide a truck which shall be simple in construction, strong, and not liable to derangement under ordinary conditions of use.

Another feature of the invention is the means, hereinafter described, whereby a hook or claw member pivotally mounted on a handle lever is caused to engage itself with and also release itself from a trans verse portion of an elevatork frame. v

A further feature consists in a special construction of hydraulic check or dashpot.

I will further describe my invention with the aid of the accompanying sheets of eX- planatory drawings, in which Fig. lis an elevation, partly in section, and Fig. 2 a plan of a truck embodying some of my improvements.

Fig. 3 is a detached view of the handle lever and pivotal hookor claw-like member.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section, drawn to an enlarged scale` as comparedwith Figs. 1 and 2,` of a hydraulic check or dashpot, Figs. 5 to 8'being detached details, and

Fig. A9 represents a modified form of handle lever, pivotal hook or. claw member, and means whereby said hookor claw is caused to engage itself with and also release itself from the elevato-r frame.

Fig. 10 is a detail view of the platform of a truck.

In the several views `like characters yof reference denote Alike or corresponding parts wherever they occur.

Referring now tofthe drawings', but first more particularly to Figs. 1 to 8,

There is provided a base or'rplatform 1 having integrally depending side oralateral extensions or members `1a betweenv which a pair of steering wheels 2, 2, `are disposed. Said wheels aremounted on axle members 3a, 3a, which are formed by-turningA down.`

theends cfa bar 3, and onwvhich are pinned collars. 4, 4, thus said wheels 2, 2, are free to rotate independently of one another. 0n said wheel carrier :bar 3 there .is disposed a turn-table 5.

Extending through said bar 3, turntable 5 and a circular boss lb formedon the underside of platform 1, and projecting' above thetop or face ofsaid base or platform,;is a pin orspindle` 6 `onthe. lower end'whereof a nut 6a is fitted: by revolving said spindle (i said turntable 5, axley carrying bar `8 and Wheels 2, 2, may, if desired, be turned througha complete revolution.

Articulated with said wheel-actuating pin or spindle means of a transverse bolt 7 is the lower bifurcated end 8a of. a handle lever or arm 8, (hereinafter for. convenience of reference designated operating arm) at the upper portion whereof there is fitted or formed: a transversefihandle. connected bymeans ofapin 9 to the `lower end 82L ofsaid eperating arm is a hoo-k or claw member 10` which is articulated toa rod 0r bar 11 (Fig. 3)-.on vthefupper end whereofa handle 11a is formed or provided-b37 means of links 12 pivotally connected to the hook or claw 10 at 13 `and to rod 11 at 14. Said` rod11 is adapted to slide in suitable guide loops'lprovided on said operating arm 8. i 4

Secured to the depending side extensions la, 1a', ofsaid ,basecrplatform v1 by means of bolts 16tand y.25fare ends of `longitudinal frame members 17, 17, near and between the .rear portions whereof are revolubly disposed upon a transversely arranged axle 18 a sec 0nd pair of floor wheels 19, 19.

Disposed abovesaid lower wheelacarrying structure. is an elevator frame 20, of substantially rectangular shape or conguration, between the longitudinal members whereof are-transversely` secured `rods v.or bars 21, 22, which are connected by means of pairs of side links23,\23, 24, 24, respectively, to the lower frame structurel at `bolt25 and the rear `wheel axle 18. Rod 21 is secured to brackets -20tfboltedto the upper frame `member .2O `(said, brackets also prevent thetruckfrom running toe far under its platform) whilst the ends of rod 22 are secured directly to the frame 20. If, therefore, said claw `member or hook 10 connected with said operating arm' 8 is lowered into engagement with the .front transverse rod 21 ofthe upper elevator Pivotally forward and downward, said upper frame 2O will rise from the lower frame 17 in parallel fashion through said link connections. Said links 24 are prevented from lateral displacement by collars 24a secured to aXle 18 and collars 24b secured on rod 22.

Pivotally mounted on bolts 26, 26, eX- tending through lugs 27, 27, cast on said base or platform 1, to which said lower fra-me structure is attached, are a pair of longitudinally-arranged levers 28, 28, near the nose end of each of which is provided a slot, recess, or hook-like formation 29, and the other ends whereof are connected by means of a foot rod or bar 30. The lever and bar constitute a pivoted keeper adapted to hold the frame 2O elevated.

Disposed on the underside of each lever-A being let into suitable sockets of the base or' platform 1-is a coiled compression spring 1c which tend to force the hooked arms of said levers downwards. l

In use, to elevate the upper frame structure 20, said operating arm 8 is moved to the vertical position, and the claw or hook 10 carried thereby is depressed to its lowermost position by means of rod 11; said operating arm 8 is'now pulled forward and downward, in which action said claw or hook 10 engages with and pulls the adjacent transverse rod or bar 21 of the upper frame 20, so thatthrough the link connections referred to-said upper frame 20 is raised above and parallel to the lower frame structure; simultaneously said bar 21 of the upper frame displaces the levers 28, 28, against the resistance of springs 1, and moves into register oralignment with the slots 29 thereof: said levers 28, under the influence of the springs 1C, enter into locking engagement with the bar 21, thus `securely maintaining the upper frame 20 in its raised or operative position. The lifting hook or claw 10 is now pulled up by means of handle 11, and the truck is controlled by the operating arm 8. y

Prior to the raising of the upper frame 2O the ltruck will be run under a suitably constructed platform supporting the load in well-known manner. vTo lower the load, the operator places his or herfoot on said transverse foot rod or bar 30 and depresses same, in which action the front arms of said longitudinal levers 28,128, rise-against the resistance of said springs lc-out of engagement withand so releasing the Y vadjacent transverse upper frame barvr 2,1;fsaid upper'frame thenl falls Abygravity; 1

ln orle'r toprevent shockon the lowering of a load,`therc iiiayxbe provided a liydraulic check or dash-pot, or other damping.' device or devices, disposed between the lower wheelcarrymg 'st'i'u'cture` and the upper elevator frame,

ln constructing the check or dash-pot illustrated there is provided a cylinder 3l 0n one end whereof is formed a cap or closure 31a which is sweated to a transverse member 32 the ends 33 whereof are revolubly' disposed in plates 34 bolted to the longitudinal members of the lower frame 17. Y

Extending through the other ends of said cylinder 31 is a tubular plunger 85 which forms an extension of a transverse tubular member 36 the reduced. ends 37 of which are pivotally disposed in end plates 38 secured to the upper frame structure 20. lVithin a recessvof said cylinder 3i packing 3Q are disposed, said rings being maintained in position by the screw cap piece 40. Secured in the enlarged inner end of said plunger 35 isan apertured plate ,C1 and the head 42 of ava-lve 42, 42, which is normally maintained on its seat by means of a spring 43 positioned between a boss 41 formed on the plate 41 and an extension 42b of the valve 42, 42a. Oil is suplied to said device by being poured througli a passage in the tubular member 36 and normally closed by screw plug 44. When the upper frame 2O is raised the outward displacement of the plunger 35 Acauses the valve 42, 42e, to open against the resistance of its spring 43, and oil flows through the apertures 41b of plate 41 to the inner nend of the cylinder 31. the upper frame is released the valve 42, 42, closes and the oil returns through a by-pass 45 formed in the head 42 of valve; said frame 2O thus settling down gently onthe lower frame 17.

Referring now to` the lever constructions shown in FigfQ, a rod 46 is pivotally connected at 13to Vthe hook or clawlO and eX- tends through a guide collar 15 secured to arm 8, Between the upper face of said collar 15 yand a stop ycollar 47 a helically coiled wire spring 48 is disposed around rod 46, and between the lower face `of said collar 15 and a stop Acollar 49 a helically coiled` wire springe() is disposed around said rod,

In use, en. the operating arm 8 being moved into vertical position to enga-ge transverse member 21 of the upper Aelevator' frame 20 the nose of said hook or claw member 10 meets said member 21, and in 'its engaging operation, rises, in which action the rod 4 is pulled downwardly, thereby compressing spring 48, so that the engagement of claw 10 with saidtransverse member 21 is effected and maintained under the influence of said spring 48. When claw 10 has brought the transverse member 21 into locking engagement with the levers 28, 28, the consequen- Having noW described my invention7 what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is z* l. A truck Comprising a Wheel supported structure, an elevator frame on said Wheel supported structure and adapted to be raised and lowered relative thereto, means Connecting said elevator structure to said Wheel supported structure adapted to Cushion movement of said elevator structure relative to said Wheel supported structure, a platform at the forward end of said Wheel supported structure, a steering handle pivotally connected to said platform, a claw member pvotally connected to said steering handle, a transverse member carried by said elevator structure and adapted to be engaged by said claw member so that said steering handle may be manipulated to raise said elevator structure relative to said Wheel Supported structure, a pivoted keeper on said platform adapted to automatically engage the transverse member of Said elevator structure and hold said structure in a raised position7 and means extending along said steering` handle and connected to said claw member adapted for shifting said member relative to said steering handle.

2. A truck as called for in claim 1, Wherein said keeper has a treadle and springs are mounted in said platform normally engaging` said keeper to cause said keeper to snap into engagement with the transverse member of said elevator structure.

In testimony whereof I aHX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

1 DONALD MUNRO.

Vitnesses JOHN HINDLEY WALKER, JAMES C. MCRAE. 

